Inspire support key to growth for engineering and welding specialists

After setting up Resolute Engineering three years ago Tom Pearce hadn’t realised how lonely running your own business it could be.

But, 18 months ago he was introduced to business support network Inspire – and since then he hasn’t looked back.

Resolute Engineering is a specialist welding and machine shop based in Westbury, Wiltshire and offers a unique approach to solving challenges and creating solutions.

Tom said: “I was an electrical maintenance engineer for 11 years and got to the point when I was making prototypes for machinery and implementing them in a large factory when I thought I could do this myself and be my own boss.

“I was asking my accountant at the time an awful lot of questions and he put me in touch with Inspire. Having the Inspire team advising me on things that are out of my accountant’s jurisdiction feels like a much larger team behind me than I actually have as a one-man band.”

The company’s growth has been helped in no small part by Inspire introducing the SME Growth programme which led to a £10,000 growth grant funded by the European Structural Investment Fund.

This allowed Tom to invest in a second hand 1995 CNC turning centre machine to greatly increase productivity.

“I didn’t know you could even get grants,” said Tom. “It was Inspire who said we were the perfect candidate for it and they put the application forward. It’s such a tremendous machine! We are now looking to get a second one and we’ve only been able to do that thanks to Inspire’s help.”

Nynke Hunter, Relationship Manager at Inspire, said: “Tom has attended a number of our Growth Seminars and is also part of our manufacturing network. We facilitate manufacturing site visits for our manufacturing members to view other plants and learn from each other.

“His challenge now is to grow to the next level through recruitment, so instead of being a technician he becomes a manager – our aim is to help him make that transition.”

It is a challenge that Tom is under no illusions will be difficult, and he said: “The biggest challenge about this job is employing people. Because we offer such a broad range of services, trying to get people we can rely on is difficult.

“The best employees I’ve had are those I have trained up. Getting in young, keen, staff who want to learn is the way forward.”

Thanks to the support from Inspire, the task will seem a little less daunting.

Tom added: “I would recommend Inspire to other businesses if they want to add more value to their team. Having Inspire in your corner is like you’ve just employed your own HR and finance department all rolled into one. You really do feel like they are fighting your cause.”

For more information on how Inspire can help your business, visit www.inspirebiz.co.uk or telephone 01225 355553.